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Friday, November 11, 2016

Watermarking for Wedding Photographers

For
wedding photographers, a watermark is much more than a means of
protecting photos from being stolen. When used properly, a watermark
can be a wedding photographer's most effective marketing tool. If
you're a wedding photographer, here's how to watermark your images so
they help you attract new clients.

The
Watermark's Past Role

Watermarks
have traditionally been used to prevent images from being stolen. In
wedding photography, they've prevented newlyweds from printing their
own photos--thus ensuring that the wedding photographer was paid for
the photographs they provided. If a couple wanted an additional
print, they typically had to pay the photographer for the extra
print.

In
the past few years, though, two technological developments have
rendered the watermark less effective at ensuring photographers are
paid for their work. First, software programs have made it possible
for individuals with just a cursory photo editing knowledge to remove
watermarks. It's easy for couples to take out a watermark and print
their own photos. Second, people have become less interested in
physical prints as social media has grown. Couples would rather post
their photos online or email them to family than send prints in the
mail.

A
New Role for the Watermark

The
changing landscape of wedding photography hasn't made watermarks
completely useless, though. By continuing to watermark photos, you
can turn people's inclination to post photos online into
advertisements for you. Whenever someone shares a photo with your
watermark on it, the people they share it with will see your brand
name. Assuming they like your shots, they'll likely think of you if
they ever have a wedding.

In
effect, your shared watermarked photos are visual recommendations of
your work. These kinds of recommendations are often more effective
than other advertising methods, because they're:

from
trusted family and friends

often
shared with bridal party members and other friends who may also be
having weddings soon

reach
people organically through their social media news feeds or email

(Admittedly,
some users may still remove your watermark before sharing. Not
everyone, however, will go through the trouble of taking a watermark
out of each image they share, so you'll get at least some exposure
online.)

Make
Watermarks Work for You

To
make watermarking an effective form of advertising, you need a
watermark that conveys the essential details about your business
without being too intrusive. A good watermark designed for marketing
will:

contain
your name and website

look
professional

not
take away from the bride and groom

It's
vitally important that your watermark doesn't detract from a
photograph, because this strategy only works if your photos are good
enough to be shared. Couples won't want to share photos if your
company name is more prominent than the people in the photos. A
subtle, faded watermark in one corner is often the best way to subtly
include your name.

Additionally,
you may want to move from a product-based pricing structure to a
service-based structure. Since you're using watermarks to generate
more business from other clients, instead of to make sure past
clients purchase prints from you, you'll need to find a way to make
up for a potential reduction in print sales. You can easily
compensate for lower print orders by charging a higher fee to shoot a
wedding, and then providing watermarked photos at a lower price--or
even giving them away for free. They are advertisements for you,
after all.